I See You
by Confessions of a Short Girl
Summary: Layla has the perfect life she's always wanted. She' finally dating Will and everything is the way she's always wanted She is happy. "Don't give me that crap Hippie, I'm not Stronghold. I see you." LaylaxWarren


**So it's three o'clock in the morning and I have a class at eight. Logically I should be getting some sleep right now now writing fanfiction, but this wouldn't leave me alone. So here it is, it's not betaed and I just edited it myself. So anyways, enjoy and remember to review.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Sky High.**

* * *

><p>Layla did what everyone expected of her in life; she figured it would be easier for her and everyone else that way. Doing what everyone expected of her meant she would never be faced with the disappointment of others; never face that fork in the road decision on what to do now.<p>

She always knew what she had to do and she always did it.

Her mom could talk to animals and was an animal rights activist because of it. Naturally, when Layla got her powers and could control and grow plants, everyone assumed that she would be an environmentalist. It was the same train of thought that everyone had for Layla's mother. It was what was expected of her and it was what she did.

When she was in middle school she overheard her parents and Will's parents talking together.

"Don't they look so cute together Josie?" Her father asked.

Josie beamed at her parents. "Absolutely! Can you imagine it john? They could get married together when they're older!"

Steve chuckled. "The classic boy and girl next door. Boy and girl become best friends; boy and girl get married together."

Layla's mom got a dreamy look in her eyes as she said. "Oh that would be wonderful. No having to worry about in-laws and we would never have to worry as much about Layla since Will is such a nice boy."

Her parents never knew that Layla overheard that conversation. Just like they never knew that because of that conversation, Layla convinced herself that she was in love with Will Stronghold.

While she's at Sky High she plays that role of the doting girlfriend. She kissed Will, she waited for him, she was his shoulder to cry and lean on. She would tell him it was okay he missed their date again; he had to save the world since he was a part of the Stronghold Three.

Layla was content with the life she lived. She was content being alone and stood up on Friday nights when she was supposed to be out on a date with him, because he was out saving the world and making it a better place for her. She had grown into her role as the environmentalist and she enjoyed it.

By all means she should have been happy. She was living the life she had always planned to live.

So why was she only content?

~xXx~

"Hey Hippie."

Layla beamed at the man who called her that affectionate, according to him, nickname. "Hi Warren." She replied cheerily.

"Where's Stronghold?" He asked while slipping into the booth to sit across from her.

It was a Friday night. Will always met Layla at the Paper lantern on Friday nights for their date night.

At least he was supposed to.

Layla gave a shrug and gazed at the orchid that was on the table as a centerpiece. "He's probably out saving the world again." Without her meaning to the orchid drooped and withered, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

Warren looked hard at Layla, his chocolate brown eyes scrutinizing her. "You're not happy."

Layla couldn't help but be surprised. How had Warren Peace, of all people, known that she wasn't happy? "I don't know what you're talking about." She lied smoothly. Ironic really, Layla the supposed naive goody two shoes lying effortlessly, but she had been doing it for years now.

"Don't give me that kind of crap Hippie." Warren growled. His eyes were smouldering and Layla half expected him to burst into flames, but she knew him better than that. "I'm not clueless like Stronghold. I see you."

Layla opened her mouth to reply, but Warren's boss yelled something at him and he got up and went back to work giving a mumbled, "Later."

For the rest of the evening as she ate her vegetable dumplings and egg rolls she tried to catch Warren's eye as she contemplated what he told her.

_I see you._

For some reason that scared Layla more than anything as she wondered what he saw.

~xXx~

"Hey Layla, about Friday night I'm really sorry." Will told her Monday as he sat down next to her to eat lunch.

"It's okay Will." She told him with a blinding smile. "I'm fine with it. I totalling understand if you can't make a few dates. You're part of the Stronghold Three after all; gotta save the world from all the villains trying to take over.

She wasn't really okay with it. The fact that Will was almost never there because he was saving the world, but she couldn't tell him that. She was supposed to be the supportive and understanding girlfriend.

Out of the corner of her eye Layla could see Warren looking at her; his brows furrowed and his lips drawn in a tight line.

Her stomach flipped as his voice sounded through her head. _I'm not Stronghold. I see you._

"Thanks Layla." Will said planting a chaste kiss on her lips breaking her train of thought. "You're the best girlfriend a guy could ever ask to have."

I don' know dawg." Zach said. "Mag here could give Layla a run for her money."

Magenta rolled her eyes at the corny comment, but Layla could see that she appreciated it. Zach beamed at Magenta and she couldn't help but return the smile.

Layla joined in with the rest of the gang laughing, telling jokes and stories, and talking about nothing of consequence. She held hands with Will and gazed lovingly at him and accepted his kisses.

Her smile faltered for a moment as she stole a glance at Warren and saw him staring at her with an intensity she couldn't place.

_I see you._

~xXx~

"You look great tonight Layla!" She had to smile at Will's comment. She was wearing the same thing she wore all the time; a brown skirt with a green blouse.

Layla had stopped dressing up for Friday's a long time ago since half the time Will wouldn't be there or he would leave halfway through their date.

"Thanks Will!" She was chipper, just as she was expected to be. "Guess even superheroes get a night off every now and the huh?" She said is playfully, but deep down she meant it as a barb directed at Will; a reminder of all the times he had left her alone on a Friday night.

"I know!" Will laughed not getting the barb she intended it to be. "It's a miracle that the world can stay safe for one day." He gave her a lopsided grin which made him look endearing and innocent. It was moments like those that whispered to Layla, _you're doing the right thing._

They chit chatted for a while, which meant Will was talking about all the cool places he'd been while saving the world with his parents and Layla listened until their waiter came.

"Hey Stronghold, Hippie, what do you want?"

Layla's stomach flipped and flopped as she looked at the man who the week before told her he saw right through her mask and saw her for what she really was. She was beginning to wonder if she would ever be able to escape his voice sounding in her head.

_I see you._

"Hey Warren." Will said with a smile. "I thought you weren't a waiter."

"Got promoted last month." Warren replied in a curt, clipped voice and a pointed stare. A reminder to Will that he hadn't been there in at least a month. That he had stood me up on a date for at least a month. Warren's barb worked much more effectively than Layla's as Will squirmed in his seat and looked anywhere but at Layla or Warren.

Layla caught Warren's eye and mouth, _thank you_; he gave her a nod to say he understood.

"Alright Stronghold, what do you want? I've got other tables besides this one." Warren said bluntly.

Will look at his menu again and said, "I'll have the chicken chow mein and a plate of spring rolls."

Warren wrote Will's order down and glanced at Layla saying, "Usual Hippie?" She gave a nod and he left.

"The usual?" Will asked confused.

"Warren's always my server when I come here. He picked up on what I ordered the first couple of times." Layla told Will indifferently. "Plus he sits down and eats some of my food if he's in between tables."

Layla saw Will flinch as she said that and couldn't help but feel satisfied knowing that he felt guilty that he left his girlfriend all alone on their date nights to talk with his best friend.

They chatted some more, but Will didn't talk anymore of the places he's been when he was supposed to be on a date with her. Instead he asked her what she's been up to and she animatedly told him about how she had finally managed to grow lemons, it really was something that she had been able to do months ago but Will was hardly around to be able to know that, and about how she was trying to grow fire proof plants.

Will was puzzled when she told him this. "Why are you trying to grow fire proof plants?"

She picked at her nails as she said, "As a gift to Warren. He was telling me how he tried to have a garden when he was younger, but he kept burning the plants by accident."

"A present for Warren." Will said slowly.

"Ya." Layla said not understand what Will didn't understand. "So far I've made semi fire proof vines and I've almost made a fire proof cactus." Warren came soon with their food and they ate in silence, occasionally commenting on something, but for the most part they didn't talk.

They were halfway through dinner when Will's cell phone rang "the tone" as Layla called it. It was the ringtone that signified times up time to go and save the world now. "You've got to be kidding me." Will grumbled as he answered the phone. "Hello? Ahuh, ya, I can do that. I'll be there right away." He put the phone down and gave Layla and apologetic smile. "Layla I'm-"

"Don't be Will." She said softly cutting him off. She leaned across the table and gave him a kiss saying, "Go punch some villains for me."

With a call of, "You're the best Layla!" over his shoulder, Layla was once again left alone at the Paper Lantern on a Friday night.

They had almost made it through dinner and that had to count for something though.

Warren came back soon to do the customary do you need anything check-up and asked in surprise, "Where'd Stronghold go?"

"To go save the world." Layla muttered with a sigh, "Again."

Warren looked around the restaurant and seeing that Layla was the only one in his section slid into the booth asking, "You okay Hippie?"

"Perfect." She replied with a smile that made his expression darken.

"I already told you Hippie, cut the crap."

She gave a sigh, trust warren to be like that. "No I'm not okay. It's the first date I've had with my boyfriend in a months and he leaves halfway through it."

Warren picked at the food on Will's plate and ate some making Layla wrinkle her nose. "So when are you gonna tell Stronghold that you're unhappy and you want out?"

Layla's lips turned down in a frown as she said, "I'm not un-"

"Don't even try that with me." Warren growled. "I told you before, I'm not Stronghold. I see you."

"It's not his fault." Layla sighed.

Warren gave her an, _are you kidding me? _Look. "It's really not that hard to tell his parents he wants a night or two off so he can spend time with his girlfriend."

"I can't break up with Will though." Layla said with a pinched face.

"And why not?" Warren all but snarled.

"Because it's not what's expected of me!" she snapped at Warren, her hair colour matching her temper at that moment.

"Are you serious?" Warren asked her in disbelief. "You're gonna spend every Friday night here by yourself and not break up with Stronghold because it's not what expected of you?"

Layla looked down not meeting Warren's eyes as she spoke. "It's how I've always lived my life Warren, doing what's expected of me."

Warren got up and cleared Will's, now empty, plate saying, "Then you seriously need to re-evaluate you life Hippie."

Layla was left staring at a plate of egg rolls that she suddenly didn't have the desire or appetite to eat.

~xXx~

She avoided Warren like the plague when she was at school. She couldn't meet his brown eyes asking her, "Well what are you going to do?"

Will noticed her changed demeanour and asked worried, "Are you okay Layla? You've seemed really down lately."

"I'm okay Will." She said with a small smile. "Just been feeling a little off lately." She gave him a kiss on the cheek and said, "See you late Will."

~xXx~

It was Friday, date, night.

She looked in the mirror as she played with the ends of her red hair. She could see it all in her head, the life that everyone expected her and Will to live out. Her and Will graduating together, fighting crime together like the Commander and Jetstream, getting married and having kids together. It was so perfect, the life that everyone expected her to live.

But would she be happy?

Her entire life Layla had never truly been happy, only merely content with her life. Could she be selfish for once and do the exact opposite of what was expected of her?

As she looked at her reflection, she wasn't sure if she could.

~xXx~

"Take two." Will joked as he sat down in their booth.

Layla gave a half hearted smile at his attempt of a joke, it as corny as his dad's. It was sweet of him though, trying his hardest to be there for her, but the life of a superhero never was a quiet or easy one. He was trying so hard, always taking her to the Paper Lantern when he hated Chinese food because she loves it. She could be happy with him and their life fighting crime together, having kids, and growing old side by side.

_I see you._

~xXx~

Two weeks since warren had asked her if she was going to break up with Will. Two weeks that she had been avoiding him. Two weeks and she still hadn't broken up with Will and Warren wasn't disappointed or angry.

He was furious.

"What do you think you're doing?" He hissed at her when they were alone in the hallway together.

I don't-"

He slammed a fist into a locker making her flinch. His eyes were burning and his hands were smoking, his expression dark and sinister.

At that moment in time all Layla could think was how much of a villain he looked like.

"Don't give me that Layla." He growled as he leaned in close to her, making her back up as she registered he had called her by her first name. "I've told you already. _I see you."_

"I'm happy." She whispered more to convince herself than Warren.

"No you're not." He snarled. "You and I both know that you're not happy Layla so admit it."

"I am happy." She replied stubbornly, refusing to back down.

Warren's hands actually caught on fire and she back up into a locker as he calmed himself. "Don't," he said in a low voice, "lie to me."

Layla got angry at that moment and she couldn't explain why, only that she was angry. She stepped forward away from the locker and got in Warren's face. They stood nose to nose glaring at each other and she hissed, "Don't tell me what to do peace."

Warren's eyes darkened to a shade of black and he shoved her against a locker, capturing her mouth in his furiously.

It was nothing like that kisses she had shared with Will.

Will's kisses were gently and slow, soft and intimate.

But Warren, warren was everything Will wasn't.

It was angry, passionate, and furious and she tangled her fingers through his hair as his hand snaked alone her waist touching bare skin and leaving fire in its wake.

It was even more breathe taking and dizzying as he slipped his into her mouth.

Just as soon as it started it ended and he glared at her one more time before turning around and stalking away, leaving Layla alone in a hallway; leaning against a locker, trying to catch her breath as she wondered in her head, _what just happened?_

~xXx~

Another week passed and Layla and Warren pretended that the other didn't exist.

If the others noticed they didn't comment on it, although Magenta did shoot her questioning looks, to which Layla would only shake her head.

She and Will kissed, but each time she was only left wanting for a fiery kiss by a man with black locks streaked with red.

_I see you._

~xXx~

"Will, we need to talk."

It had been five weeks since Warren had first told her that he saw her. Four weeks since he had asked her if she was going to break up with Will. Two weeks since they had shared that intense and fiery kiss.

The kiss that left her wanting and craving more.

Five weeks since Warren Peace's voice had been haunting her though saying over and over again, _I see you._ Five weeks and she had finally made a decision.

Five weeks and now here she was talking to Will at the park where they had spent so much time together when they were younger.

When he came he came with a knowing look on his face and the first words he spoke were, "You're breaking up with me aren't you?"

"Yes." Layla said swiftly. It was like taking off a bandage, better to do it quickly than slowly.

"Does it have anything to do with Warren?" He asked looking at the sky and not her.

"No." Will gave her a look and she said, "And yes. He's a part of it."

"Let's start with it doesn't have anything to do with Warren part." Will said with a sad smile. "It might be easier to hear that the reason you're breaking up with me doesn't involve my best friend."

Layla's heart clenched as he said that and she knew right away that thing would never be the same between them. "I couldn't handle it."

"Couldn't handle it?" Will asked confused.

Layla gave him a strained smile; this was hard for both of them. "All my life I've done what's expected of me." she closed her eyes as she remember things from her past. "I became an environmentalist because it was expected of me, mind you I love it now. "I became the selfless girl next door because it was expected of me given who my mother is."

Will let out a snort, that was an understatement. Layla's mom was so kind and welcoming that sometimes Will wondered if there was a mistake and he power wasn't really to talk with animals but to be inanely kind to everyone. "And dating me?" he asked softly not knowing if he wanted to know the answer to his question.

Layla took his hand in hers and said softly, "I overheard our parents one day talking about how they hoped we would get together because we were perfect for each other and it would be so cute and it would probably happen because we were best friends."

"So you dated me because it was expected of you that you would?" Will asked despaired.

Layla hesitated for a moment before saying, "No, for a while I was in love with you."

"What happened?"

The million dollar question. What had happened to make Layla change? She gave a soft smile. "Warren saw through me.

_I'm not Stronghold. I see you._

"So that's it." Will said getting up and dusting his pants off. "You going to date Warren now?" He asked her accusingly.

"I don't know." Layla told him quietly. She really didn't know if she would, she wasn't even sure if Warren would look at her anymore.

Will gave a sniff and rubbed his eyes, he was trying not to cry and it broke Layla's heart. "You should. That way the two of you can suck face without people asking why." She looked up at him in shock, her mouth opening and closing like a gaping fish. "Ethan saw you two in the hallway."

"He started it." Layla said defensively.

"You responded." Will told her angrily.

She couldn't say anything to that as he left without another word.

~xXx~

It was a Wednesday night, not Friday. It wasn't date night, because there wouldn't be any more, not with Will.

When she walked into the Paper Lantern the hostess, Angela, looked surprised and she said, "It's not Friday."

Layla gave a dazzling smile and said, "I know."

Angela took Layla to her usual booth and leaned in whispering, "His shift ends in an hour and a half. See if you can make him happy. He's been in a foul mood since the last time you were here."

_Gee, I wonder why._ Layla thought humourlessly to herself. "Thanks Angela." She idly looked at her menu thinking it was a stupid thing to do since she knew the menu like the back of her hand. She gave a sigh and waited for Warren to come and take her order.

When he saw her he grunted, "It's not Friday."

I probably won't be coming here Fridays anymore." She said hoping that he would understand. If it was Will she would have to spell it out for him.

_I'm not Stronghold._

He got what she was telling him and smirked, "Usual Hippie?"

"The usual." She said grinning like a Cheshire Cat. "When's your shift over?"

"Hour and a half. Think you can wait that long?"

She gave him a smirk. "Oh ya."

~xXx~

An hour and a half later Layla had never been more grateful for her immense amount of patience as warren's tongue danced with her own.

Her back was pressed against the alley wall behind the restaurant and her legs were hitched up around his hips as their lips sang a song as old as time itself. As she moaned his named against his mouth and ran her hands along his muscular chest and stomach underneath his shirt, Layla realised that or the first time that she could remember she was more than content.

She was happy.

~xXx~


End file.
